The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1887-09-03

tOIiIl, tutu uOt sctiits tucy WSue huiAASNsy
along tho train, peering into carriage after
carriage; but the most dilgeat search could
convince them Of but one tting-his absence
There was no passenger by the train, hrnt
though they might The train moved Sut,
and they remained perpyIed and Devil Nreo
As the last hope seemed 10 vanish low cry
from Olive reached her father, and he TUNED
just In time 20 catch h.. before she <ell " the
ground. He called cab and put her In,
thinking as no did 80 that the strain WIS now
going to tell upon he, and that a sharp illness
would DO the probable result Vet BY the
time homo was r~ chsd shy seemed better.
and, despite Ill the ir ef1ortA abe refused TO 60
70 bed She insi1 81 ON s,Ayingu up and wait
ing-for WHAT Tnsy woxh have tslesraphsd.
but rsmsmbered Just Ia time that Henry. In
bis lass letter, bad saix that b vas having
the hotel ss w9ich be had been stopping In
order TO sleep at or,e nearer the station, %
that they had no athlreo to which they could
send mess &c. Il was . terrible day, Tor
tho hours CIV pit by, and yet no nsws came.
till some t.ms after midday Olive, looking
anxiously from the window. spisd out tho
postman b. the distance and hurriedly ran 70
meet him. There was . letter 10 her IN .
strange writing; but oil the news II contained
was in Q fow lines. which said how Mr.. brin-
ton had met with an accident at the station
which prevented his travelling that day.
With his they had to remain content as best
they could. The others went about their
dutia, with heavy hearts, but Olive sat
dreG lily gazing down the lane, watching for
the lover who did not come, while her lips
seeI led TO form the refrain Of the old childish
spc ri, .He cometh, he cometh not"
80 the day wore away; but just as the dark
sc ,med to close in and preclude all further
b ,pe of news, the whole household was
.arted by wild shrek They rushed
down to find Olive lying motionless on the
hall floor, her hand clenched over letter
Just opened The last post had been de-
layed, and once more she had been the one
to receive the letter. One glance at the note
revealed all II was from stranger, who
stated that Mr.. Brinton had met with Sc
we're accident from which conclusion OF the
brain of so fatal n character had ensued that
he had died some five hours after the fall.
All this was told in the most hurried OF
scrawls, so brief and hasty that the writer
had forgotten to add his address, or to give
any details as to arrangements which might
be made.
or course, the first care with the doctor
was to see his daughter; but when she had
been put to bed he sat up TO consider the
whole matter. He would, Of couose, have
hurried up to town himself but for the i'm
possibility OF leaving his patients at mo-
nent's notice; while, in addition. it seemed
scarcely wise to go till Olive woke out of the
Inconsistencies into which she had fallen.
Next morning, indeed, she was better, though
her white, drawn face and listless manner be-
trayed tho full extent Of the shock. Even
then she was hardly able to do more than lie
langudly back in II chair, letting Others 10
all that was necessary in getting mourning.
Her chief employment seemed to be that OF
reading over and over again the announce
nlent of death which had appeared IN the
morning papers. 1t must be owned that the
punctual appearance of this had allayed much
of the uneasiness in the worthy doctors mind,
though he wished most fervently that, in ad
dition to stating that death was due to an &C.
cdent, it had contained some information as
to the place where tho ill fated Henry Brin-
ton had died Still no rested content in the
knowledge that the solicitors to the deceased
would communicate with him when they
came TO examine into the will.
A few days had worn away, when Olive
received letter stating that the funeral had
taken place at the Highgate cemetery. This
news turned her thoughts In fresh direc-
ton, and she followed her father into bis
study with the request that lie would take
her up to see the grave as soon as he could
The only thing which delayed his consent a
minute was doubt whether the condition Of
her health did not prohibit such scheme as
unwise; but when he noticed the plaintive--
even piteous-en endurance with which she
pressed her request he gave way, thinking as
no did SO that it would be just as well for
him to 60 up himself and see after matters
The opportunity was a welcome one OH that
account, for, as he received no communica-
ton, fear came over him lest the silver
may, the GOLDEN lining to their cloud should
prove illusory.
They went to London the next morning.
but as she obviously Shrank from meeting
any one, whether stranger Or friend, he de-
cided to drive of to the cemetery at once. and
then to try and discover some place where
she would be willing to 60 and rest for an
hour or two All throughout the drive her
nervous excitement increased, till he feared
that he had made mistake In allowing her
to encounter 80 severe a trial. The burial
ground reached, she asked her father to let
her stroll OIL while lie went In to inquire the
locality of the grave He watched her as she
went slowly into the by path, feeling all
fathers sadness for the heavy sorrow that
had come and bowed the slight figure that
looked so fragile in its deep mourning; then
he turned and asked the attendant to tell him
where tue grave Of Mr. Brinton was. As he
awaited the answer, which was little de-
layed, he could not avoid commenting him.
self on the denseness of memory SO clogged
that its machinery was long in bringing out
the required note. His thoughts were broken
in on by the voice of the man.
II don't think there has been q burial in
that name, sir"
ooh, yes" he replied, "it was on Tuesday
last"
Tuesday" echoed the attendant, and
once again he seemed to wind up his men,
DRY to its necessary work. But with all the
winding he could not recall the name. At
last he said he would 60 and look in the reg
ister; but the register contained no entry
OF the name of Brinton. Not content with
looking through the list Of funerals OH Tues
day they glanced at all that hat occurred
since, and then went go far back as to make
sure that he had not been buried on the day
previous to his decense. Iswas all to no pur-